Inspiration for a beach style kitchen pantry in Tampa with open cabinets, wood benchtops and dark hardwood floors.

Custom cabinetry by Warmington & North Architect: Hoedemaker Pfeiffer Photography: Haris Kenjar
This is an example of a traditional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Seattle with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops and white splashback.

W. Creekside Residence

Dillon Kyle Architects (DKA)

Casey Dunn Photography
Inspiration for a large beach style l-shaped kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and timber splashback.

An Arts and Crafts Kitchen in Kent by deVOL

deVOL Kitchens

Design ideas for a transitional kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors and with island.

Rosslyn Cabin

Studio Miel

Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped open plan kitchen in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, porcelain floors, with island, brown floor, white appliances and brown benchtop.

White and Warm

Design First Interiors

This formerly small and cramped kitchen switched roles with the extra large eating area resulting in a dramatic transformation that takes advantage of the nice view of the backyard. The small kitchen window was changed to a new patio door to the terrace and the rest of the space was “sculpted” to suit the new layout. A Classic U-shaped kitchen layout with the sink facing the window was the best of many possible combinations. The primary components were treated as “elements” which combine for a very elegant but warm design. The fridge column, custom hood and the expansive backsplash tile in a fabric pattern, combine for an impressive focal point. The stainless oven tower is flanked by open shelves and surrounded by a pantry “bridge”; the eating bar and drywall enclosure in the breakfast room repeat this “bridge” shape. The walnut island cabinets combine with a walnut butchers block and are mounted on a pedestal for a lighter, less voluminous feeling. The TV niche & corkboard are a unique blend of old and new technologies for staying in touch, from push pins to I-pad. The light walnut limestone floor complements the cabinet and countertop colors and the two ceiling designs tie the whole space together.

KitchenDesigns.com - Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly - Rockville Center, NY CA1302

Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. (CKD, CBD, CR)

kitchendesigns.com Designed by Mario Mulea at Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. Cabinetry: Brookhaven by Wood Mode
Traditional kitchen in New York with black cabinets, wood benchtops, beige splashback and black appliances.

Seamless Neighbor

TEA2 Architects

Photo of a contemporary kitchen in Minneapolis with wood benchtops.

Rustic Kitchen

This is an example of a country kitchen in Other with panelled appliances, wood benchtops, recessed-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, brown splashback and metal splashback.

Pied à terre marseillais

Mars Avril

This is an example of a small contemporary galley kitchen in Marseille with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, panelled appliances, a peninsula, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Avant/ Apres transformation d'un F3 par un jeune couple

QUALIRENOVATION

Photo of a scandinavian l-shaped separate kitchen in Paris with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, black appliances, no island, grey floor and beige benchtop.

Heaton Road

Butterfield Architecture

A modern kitchen design, flooded with natural light from the sky lights above and the asymmetric glazing. With everything considered including where the clients would keep their cook books and photos.

The Lakes

Field Day Studio

Lobster and Swan
Country l-shaped kitchen in London with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, green cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, with island and grey floor.

Vail Single Family

Krueger Architecture & Design

Kimberly Gavin Photography
Photo of a contemporary l-shaped kitchen in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood benchtops, grey splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and grey floor.

My house -

Design Shop Interiors

Photo of a country l-shaped kitchen in Sacramento with an integrated sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances and with island.

The Hideaway

Veritas Fine Homes Inc

Photos credited to Imagesmith- Scott Smith Entertain with an open and functional kitchen/ dining room. The structural Douglas Fir post and ceiling beams set the tone along with the stain matched 2x6 pine tongue and groove ceiling –this also serves as the finished floor surface at the loft above. Dreaming a cozy feel at the kitchen/dining area a darker stain was used to visual provide a shorter ceiling height to a 9’ plate line. The knotty Alder floating shelves and wall cabinetry share their own natural finish with a chocolate glazing. The island cabinet was of painted maple with a chocolate glaze as well, this unit wanted to look like a piece of furniture that was brought into the ‘cabin’ rather than built-in, again with a value minded approach. The flooring is a pre-finished engineered ½” Oak flooring, and again with the darker shade we wanted to emotionally deliver the cozier feel for the space. Additionally, lighting is essential to a cook’s –and kitchen’s- performance. We needed there to be ample lighting but only wanted to draw attention to the pendants above the island and the dining chandelier. We opted to wash the back splash and the counter tops with hidden LED strips. We then elected to use track lighting over the cooking area with as small of heads as possible and in black to make them ‘go away’ or get lost in the sauce.

Indigo Tiny Home

Driftwood Homes USA

Tom Jenkins
This is an example of a small transitional single-wall kitchen in Atlanta with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors and no island.

A Bijou Holiday Apartment in Edinburgh

The Couture Rooms

This is an example of a traditional eat-in kitchen in Edinburgh with a peninsula, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, white splashback, subway tile splashback and dark hardwood floors.

Kitchen Pantry w/Curved shelves

Benvenuti and Stein

Curved Pantry with lateral opening doors and walnut counter top. Norman Sizemore Photographer
Photo of a traditional u-shaped kitchen pantry in Chicago with open cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Spanish Colonial

DD Ford Construction

Architect: Don Nulty
Large mediterranean u-shaped kitchen in Santa Barbara with recessed-panel cabinets, panelled appliances, wood benchtops, white cabinets, white splashback, with island, an undermount sink and terra-cotta floors.

Kitchen with Wood Benchtops Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!